Can separating device



Jan. 29, 1952 v. E. EVANS 2,583,934

CAN SEPARATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 7 1948 IN V EN TOR.

azlclorfi. Evans BY Mitrifi Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CAN SEPARATING DEVICE Victor B. Evans, San Jose, Calif.Application August 7, 1948,SerialNo. 43,139

1 Claim.

Canned fruits and vegetables are frequently stored or shipped, in cases,unlabeled; it being necessary to subsequently de-case the cans forapplying the labels. As de-cased, the cans are in longitudinal rowsstacked one upon the other above a common support. These stacked rowsmust be separated into individually supported rows for feeding to thelabeling machine, or the like.

This invention is, therefore, directed to, and it is an object toprovide, a novel device for automatically and mechanically separatinginitially stacked longitudinal rows of cans into individual longitudinalrows supported independently of each other. for subsequent handling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can separatingdevice,,as above, wherein the initially stacked longitudinal rows ofcans are shifted, upon simultaneous advance of the rows, in a manner tocreate spacing between the initially matchingly engaged ends ofcorresponding cans of said rows; such spacing then permitting therelative introduction of a separate support below each shifted upperrow.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can separating device,which is designed so that the separation of the initially stacked rowsof cans results, automatically, upon advance 'of said stacked rowsthrough the device; the latter including a novel arrangement torelatively introduce a separate supporting plate between said rowswhereby the latter are thereafter individually and independentlysupported.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple, practical, andreliable can separating device, and one which will be exceedinglyeffective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the device, as constructed toreceive a single course of longitudinal, stacked rows of cans.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section on line 3-4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the device is here shown as constructed to handle a singlecourse of initially stacked longitudinal rows of cans; there being alower row, indicated generally at I, and an upper row, indicatedgenerally at 2.

The cans of the lower row I are each indicated at 3, while the, cans ofthe upper row are each indicated at 4.

The single initially stacked longitudinal rows 1 and. 2 of cans 3 and 4are advanced by a pusher mechanism (not here shown) through a relativelydeep trough, indicated generally at 5; such trough including ahorizontal bottom or supporting plate 6 and upstanding transverselyspaced side walls I and 8 extending lengthwise parallel to each other.

The course of initially stacked longitudinal rows I and 2 'of cans 3 and4 is fed into the trough 5 in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 1.

The cans 3 of the lower row I are guided on opposite sides and adjacentthe plate 6 by transversely spacedlongitudinal guides 9. Similarly, thecans 4 of the upper row 2 run, at their lower ends between, and areguided by, transversely spaced longitudinal guides l0 aifixed to theside walls 1 and 8 intermediate the top and bottom thereof. Thelongitudinal guides II) are of such height, and so disposed, that theyalso are engaged by and guide the top portions of the cans 3 of thelower row I. t

As the initially stacked longitudinal rows of cans, enter the device,the corresponding cans 3 and 4 in said rows engage at adjacentends inmatching relation,as at H, in Fig. 2.

Another longitudinal guide [2 is affixed to the side wall 1 aconsiderable distance above the corresponding longitudinal guide I0, andin position to engage the adjacent sides of the cans 4 near the top ofthe same.

Intermediate the ends of the device, the longitudinal guide I2 isincreased in width, :1. e. laterally inwardly, and for a predetermineddistance lengthwise of said device. This increase in width of thelongitudinal guide [2 forms a longitudinal cam, indicated at [3.

As the initially stacked longitudinal rows of cans traverse the portionof the trough 5 corresponding to the longitudinal cam [3, the cans 4 ofthe upper row 2 are engaged by said cam l3 and tilted laterally, as inFig. 3. The. side wall 8 is relieved laterally outwardly at the topopposite the cam 13, and for substantially the same length, as at l4, topermit of unobstructed tilting of the cans 4 by said cam 13 in themanner previously described.

When the cam engaged cans 4 are tilted, there is a gap 15 formed betweenthe lower end of each tilted can 4 and the corresponding can 3. This gapis taken advantage of to permit of the 3 relative interposition of aseparating and supporting plate l6 between the upper and lower rows ofcans in the following manner:

The separating and supporting plate I6 is mounted between the side walls1 and 8 directly below the longitudinal guides ID. The lead end of theseparating and supporting plate [6 is formed with a diagonal edge I! sothat said plate 16 feathers out to a starting; point 3 at the sidewa lladjacent but ahead of the beginning of the cam IS with respect to thedirection of travel of the cans through the device.

Thus, as the initially stacked longitudinal rows I and 2 of cans 3 and 4travel through the device, the cans l are tilted laterally when firstengaged by the cam 13 and then continu'e'iofward, so tilted, for acertain distance. Soon aiter.

the cans 4 are tilted, and with their continued advance, the diagonallead end portion or the separating and supporting plate l6 begins itsrelative eritry between said tilted cans 4 and the eerrespanam cans 3*such entry being into the gap I5.

it will thus bee-recognized that by the time the tilted "cans 4 escapethe longitudinal cam l3 and l e-erect in the trough 5, that said cans 4are wholly supported by the separating and supportag plate 16 insp'acedrelation above the Cams -3. See Figure 4. 7

The device is; therefore, operative, with the cans and in which thestack of cans is adapted lation. Thereafter all of the courses areadvanced simultaneously through the corresponding separating device by acommon pusher.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a. device as substantially fulfils the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in 'practicesuchdeviations fromsuchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spiritof the invention, as defined by the appended claim. 7

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

Acan separating device for a stack of cans including lower and uppercans initially in end to end "engagement the device comprising alongitudinal vertical-sided trough wider than the balls attire-top andthe upper cans at the botsimple advance of initially stackedlongitudinal V rows of eanstnrough the trough 5, to separate suchlo'ngitudinal r'ov vspan d to individually support the same, forsubsequent handling. From the outlet of the device the then individuallyand separately supported rows of cans can be fed by any convenientmechanism to the point mm and centralize the cans in the trough, and "alongitudinal strip in the trough on one side thereof "at a level toengage the upper cans adjacent the top; said cam strip being initiallyno Wider than the corresponding guide strip and increasingin width totilt the upper cans laterally for a certain length of the travel of thestack so as to cause "a gap to be formed between the adjacent ends ofthe upper and lower cans on said side; there being a longitudinalsupport 7 the trough a'r'ranged a't its leading end to en ter ga-p uponadvance of the stack and to h Na-ine Date 2,275,7 9 *wncox Mar. 10, 1942[2527mm Mdliiist a1. Marf24f1942. 2551 15266 Hube 'et a1. June 13, 1950

